Air heater



w. E. s'r ARk :AIR HEATER Filed Aug. 25, 192,3 1 f7- 7 exp/K Nov. 3, 1931.

a INVENTOR Me/MM Patented Nov. 3, 1931 STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLE'I E. STARK, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT HEATER & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, .OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO AIR HEATER Application filed August 25, 1928. Serlal No. 302,018.

This invention relates to air heaters of the sectional type and has for its principal object the provision of means whereby the heating efliciency of the heater is materially increased.

1 Another object of the present invention is to provide means between the adjacent surfaces of the sections whereby the air is brought into contact with the surfaces of the sections and compelled to follow the curvature of the sections in its travel therebetween.

With the objects above indicated and other objects hereinafter explained in view, the invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical front view of an air heater, portions of which are broken away to more clearly illustrate the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View of a pair of sections showing a modification of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail of a still further modification of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail of another modification of the invention.

In the drawings, 10 represents the cast iron base upon which the hollow sections 11 are supported, in this particular instance four sections being employed, but it should be understood that any number of sections may be employed, depending upon the desired capacity of the air heater. The sections 11 are hollow and are'suitably spaced apart and connected together by a conduit.

' surface is provided upon the outside surfaces of the sections with which the air contacts in its passage between the adjacent sections. Disposed within the lower portion of each of the sections 11 are burners 1 1 suitably supported, and which burners communicate throu h mixer tubes 15 with a gas supply mani old 16 connected to any suitable gas supply. The fiow of gas from the manifold 16 to the burners 14: is controlled by manually operated valves 17. The mixer tubes 15 extend through cast iron covers 18 supported by the base 10 and these covers are provided with hinged doors 19 adjacent the lower portions of the respective hollow sections 11 so that access may be had to the burners for the purpose of lighting the same.

The sections are entirely enclosed by a housing 20, preferably of heat-insulating material, which is supported and secured at its lower portions to the base 10. A cover 21 is positioned upon the upper portion of the housing 20 and has one or more flanged openings 22 through which the heated air passes and which flanged openings 22 communicate with pipes, not shown, for conveying-the heated air to the desired locations.

As previously stated, the hollow sections 11 are zigzag or corrugated in shape and these corrugations extend transversely the full depth of the sections and on both sides thereof and are staggered in such manner that when the sections are positioned side by side, the raised portions of the corrugations of one section extend adjacent the depressed portions of the corrugations of the adajcent section. The corrugated portions of the hollow sections 11 are further provided with vertically extending fins 23 suitably spaced apart throughout the entire length of the corrugations so as to provide additional heating surfaces with which the air in its passage between the sections may contact. It will. therefore, be noted, that the air in passing upwardly between the sections is compelled to follow a tortuous or serpentine path due to the shape of the adjacent sides of the sections. However, it is sometimes desirable to space these sections quite some distance apart and as a result a vertical path is provided between the ridges of the corrugations of the adjacent sections. Therefore, as, in the ordinary construction, there is nothing to compel or force the flow of air between the sections to follow the corrugated or serpentine surfaces of the adjacent sections, a portion of the air will rise in this vertical path and will not be efliciently heated.

The important feature of the present invention is, therefore, to provide means whereby the flow of air between the adjacent sections is compelled to follow the corrugated or serpentine surfaces of the adjacent sections and thereby be brought into direct contact with the surfaces of the air which is to be heated. This means compels the flow of air to extend into the depressions of the corrugated surfaces, which was formerly not the case, so that the efficiency of the heater is materially increased due to the air flowing into the depressions. Additionally, this means does not interfere or reduce the air passage between the adjacent sections and is made of a heat-absorbing material so that the heat given off from the adjacent sections will be transmitted to the heat-absorbing means which will, in turn, absorb and retain the heat and thereby provide additional heating surfaces over which the air must flow in its passage between the sections. The flow of air, therefore, being divided into two vertically moving streams and following a serpentine path is brought into contact with the entire 7 heating surfaces of the sections and, additionally, into contact with the heating surfaces of the heat-absorbing means, as a result bringing each particle of air, to which the heat is to be transmitted, into closer proximity with the heated surfaces.

therefore, is materially increased.

The heat-absorbing means comprises a baffie 24 which extends transversely between the adjacent sections and is suitably secured at the top and bottom by brackets 25 bolted or otherwise secured thereto. This bafiie is also corrugated or zigzag, the ridges extending transversely the entire depth between the sections and overlapping with the ridges of the corrugations 'upon the adjacent surfaces of the hollow sections 11. The bafiie 24 is positioned centrally between the surfaces of the adjacent sections and being of a form substantially the same as the curvature of the ad acent surfaces of the hollow sections coma pels the flow of air to follow a serpentine path and to contact with the entire surfaces of the sections as well as the surfaces of the:

The balfie 24 in Fig. 1 it will be noted is disclosed as being a continuous sheet of heat absorbing material, but other types may be as readily and efficiently employed such as, for instance, that shown in Fig. 3 in which the bafile consists of transversely extending V-shaped heat-absorbing members 24 carried respectively by the adjacent sections 11 and secured thereto by brackets 25. In this case, however, the bafiie is not continuous but The ef-' ficiency of the heater in heating the air,-

the free ends of the transversely extending members 24 overlap with the members of the adjacent sections so as to prevent any vertical passage of the air between the members.

In Fig. 4 a still further modification is shown in which the baffle comprises a plurality of transversely extending members 2+ secured in a manner similar to the brackets 24* to the adjacent sections 11, but the free ends of these members 24" extend in substantially the same plane but terminate short of each other. In Fig. 5 there is still a further modification of the battle which consists of a plurality of transversely extending members 24 secured to the adjacent sections 11 by brackets similar to 25 in Fig. 3, in which the free ends of the members 24: are in substantially the same plane with the cooperating members 24 of the adjacent sections but in which the ends are shown as being in contact.

If preferred, the inner sides of the housing 20 may also be provided with transversely extending'baifles 26 similar to the bafiles 24 which may be attached by means of brackets 27. These bafiles 26 also should be of heat-absorbing material so as to hold the heat transmitted by the end sections 11, thereby subjecting the upward flow of air to the heated surfaces of the outer sections spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 3

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I H 1. In an air heater of the type described, a plurality of sections having irregular adj acent surfaces, and means disposed between said sections and having a longitudinal section substantially complementary with the irregular surfaces of the adjacent sections for directing the air in its upward travel into contact with the adjacent surfaces of said sections.

2. In an air heater of the type described, a plurality of hollow sections having corrugats ed adjacent surfaces, and a member disposed between saidsections and having a contour substantially complementary with the corrugated adjacent surfaces of the adjacent sections for directing the air in its upward travel into contact with the adjacent surfaces of said sections and in overlapping relation therewith,

3. In an air heater of the type described, a plurality of sections spaced apart and having irregular adjacent surfaces, and heat absorbing means disposed between said sections and having a longitudinal section substantially complementary with the ad] acent surfaces of said sections for directing the air in its upward travel into contact with the adjacent surfaces of said sections.

4. In an air heater of the type described, a plurality of sections spaced apart and having vertically ribbed adjacent surfaces in staggered relation, and a heat absorblng baflie disposed between said sections and 1n longitudinal section having a curvature substantially complementary with the adjacent surfaces of said sections for directing the air in its upward travel into contact with the adjacent surfaces of said sections. a

5. In an air heater of the type described, a plurality of sections spaced apart, the ad jacent surfaces of which are provided with spaced transversely extending ridges forming depressions therebetween whereby the upward flow of air is required to follow a serpentine path, an enclosure for said sections, and means disposed between the side walls of the enclosure and the adjacent surfaces of the end sections to thereby cause the flow of air to follow a serpentine path therebetweem 6. In an air heater of the type described, a plurality of sections spaced apart, said sections being zig-zag in vertical cross section thereby providing transversely extending depressions and ridges along the sides thereof. means disposed between said sections and having a longitudinal section' substantially complementary with the adjacent surfaces of said sections whereby the a1r in passing upwardly between said sections is required to follow a serpentine path, an enclosure for said sections, and means interposed between the side walls of the enclosure and the adjacent surfaces of the end sections whereby the air in passing upwardly therebetween is required to follow a serpentine path.

7. In an air heater of the type described, a plurality of sections spaced apart, the side surfaces of which are provided with substantially horizontally arranged ridges and intermediate depressions, an enclosure for said sections, and heat absorbing means disposed between the side walls of the enclosure and the adjacent surfaces of the end sections whereby the air is caused to flow over the entire adjacent surfaces of said end sections.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

WILLET E. STARK. 

